Snippets, Preludes, Epilogues, Bits and Pieces
by Darlin
Summary: I've bits & pieces of stories often too short to really post alone so am posting them all together in standalone "Snippets" clearly marked as to what story each refers to. First up an epi to In the End Only Love Matters & a prelude to Run Run. It's not necessary to have read them in order to enjoy these snippets. Obviously epis can be spoilers if you intend to read the first story.
1. In the End Only Love Matters Epi

**In the End Only Love Matters Epilogue**

**SPOILER ALERT! ** _If you have not read_ **In the End Only Love Matters **_and you think you may want to read it then I would advise that you don't read this. If you have read the first story or simply could care less about reading it then feel free to continue. _

**-xox-**

Logan hated coming home. Every time he stepped inside the empty house, dark and eerily quiet, it made his heart sink. The kitten, three months old now, a month older than when he brought it home to Ororo, was always underfoot. Even now it darted towards him, playful, batting at his shoe then racing towards the door he was quickly closing. He hated the kitten, nameless still, because Ororo had died the day he'd brought the tiny critter home. He loathed the cat almost as much as he hated the house he'd shared with Ororo. He hated the living room, the spacious kitchen, the library, he hated every room that held their shared memories prisoner there but he hated their bedroom the most, the room she'd passed away in. Deceased. Expired. Gone.

He opened the front door he'd tried so quickly to shut in order to keep the kitten from escaping and reached down and caught the kitten up by the scruff of its neck then tossed it outside into the garden – Ororo's garden. This small vengeance made him feel better somehow – taking action, making a decision, slowly wading out of the misery that had swallowed him whole. It gave him strength, resolve. He would make plans to sell the house straightaway. Where he would go he didn't know and didn't care but it would be far, far away from all the memories of her, of them, of what he knew he would never be able to capture again.

Ten hours later, after yet another sleepless night, with bag in one hand and not looking back, Logan stepped outside into a new day. The sun slowly rising, the color streaked sky, birds warbling, kitten mewing, all went unnoticed. And then he felt something small tumble over his booted foot. The kitten. He looked down at the furry damp thing and his heart constricted. With one swift movement he scooped it up and cradled it to his chest. He couldn't leave it though he'd come to hate it. In that moment he loved it fiercely as he knew Ororo would have. He wouldn't dessert it, no he'd find a home for it, a good home, maybe Kitty's grandchildren would like it. Ororo would like that.

Kitty was already taking charge of his affairs, planning to put the house up for sale and Ororo's things in storage. Kitty had insisted that one day he would want to remember, that she hoped he would. He'd strongly disagreed although he'd acquiesced as he always did for she was still his pumpkin despite being a grandmother now. But all the pictures, all the material things meant nothing to him. No matter where he went the sum of all that he and Ororo were, each and every memory, would be stored away in his heart. He would heal but he would never be whole again.


	2. Run Run Prelude

**Run Run Prelude – by Darlin**

_If you liked the story Run Run, personally a favorite of mine, then you may like this prelude. If not then you may want to pass. _

**-xox-**

Ororo watched Logan squirm beside her. They were on her bed watching TV. In truth she was more interested in the man beside her than the TV show they were watching. The Bachelorette had started off goofy and by mid season had turned into good silly fun although she still wasn't quite certain who was who but it was obvious Logan wasn't enjoying it, at least not now. She returned his smile when he glanced at her but his smile was a big lopsided, um, you caught me kind of a smile full of misery and guilt.

She thought to turn the show off, decided against it. If he didn't want to watch it then all he had to do was say so. She turned back to the TV and smiled again. It was sweet of him to watch the show with her. It wasn't necessary of course. She could care less about it. It was his company she enjoyed most.

The first time had been an accident.

"What ya watchin'?" he'd asked when he'd sauntered through her slightly opened door.

She'd shrugged, carelessly thrown out the hand with which she held the remote, waved it in the direction of the TV and he'd plopped down beside her. As she'd bounced a little as he positioned himself next to her she didn't care what was on at that moment. Truth be told she had been considering turning the TV off altogether but Logan had inveigled his way into her room and into her bed and she kind of liked it. So, yes, she'd kept The Bachelorette on.

And when it went off she'd assumed he'd enjoyed it because he'd said, "See ya same time next week, eh?" And she'd grinned, nodded and started to say something but instead settled for saying nothing because he was kissing her and, well, that's exactly what she'd wanted him to do all while they'd watched that show.

So of course when he came back the next week and the next she'd assumed he liked the show. Who wouldn't assume that? And they'd make out kind of like teenagers there on her bed, his hands straying dangerously close to parts that made her tingle when his fingers tempted. And all she'd wanted was that, his nearness, his caresses, sweet, deep kisses, not TV. And the laughter! She couldn't forget the laughter. She loved laughing with him. He was so funny, the way he talked about the guys on the show. But he could be funny when he talked about anything. And sometimes they would talk late into the night just laying there side by side, his fingers sometimes seeking hers or his hand rubbing gentle, slow circles over her arm.

Being with Logan like that was magic. And as long as The Bachelorette was on she knew she was going to have a fun time, not caring to think what might happen after the season ended. Only now as she watched him squirm, his lips screwed up in obvious distaste she had a feeling it was over. Because she hadn't paid as much attention to the show as she had to him she couldn't understand why he grinned in relief and bolted from the room as soon as the program went off. But somehow she knew that was it for her fun.

Naturally a woman always wonders if it was something she'd done when a man leaves. Not enough mouthwash? Had she looked too happy? Was there such a thing? She hadn't once implied anything or demanded anything. Maybe she'd pondered the question, are we boyfriend and girlfriend now? And she'd wanted to ask him but she also knew that was kind of childish and besides, did Americans even use that terminology anymore? So other reasons why he might have darted out of her room for good came to mind. Was there too much pink in her décor? Only her fuzzy bunny slippers, a present from Jubilee were pink so that couldn't be it. Could it?

Hmm. Maybe the brownies she'd taken to baking for their weekly viewing had turned out bad this time? Taking a bite she decidedly knew that wasn't it. Maybe she hadn't cleaned the bathroom well enough? She knew there had to be some logical explanation!

It wasn't till after dinner the next night when Logan kept looking anywhere but at her and when Jubilee laughed and said, "Hah! Storm, who would've thought you'd get Logan hooked . . ."

But whatever Jubilee had finished saying neither Ororo nor Logan knew because Logan, like a frightened animal, leapt up from his chair and raced from the room.

"What's wrong with him?" Kitty had asked.

"Gee, all I said was who would've thought Storm got him hooked on brownies like crack," Jubilee said.

"Ain't it obvious?" Rogue laughed. "He thinks Ororo's got marriage on her mind. Haven't y'all noticed how she's always looking for him when The Bachelorette comes on an' he's always hiding even though she's made his favorite brownies?"

"What, he thinks she wants to marry him or something?" Jubilee asked.

"Dat's flat out stupid even for him," Remy said.

"Maybe not," Kitty said quietly as she watched Ororo's face.

Shock then realization had washed over Ororo's face and then an expression of clear blissful hope stayed there much to Kitty's surprise. But Ororo laughed.

"I thought he just liked the show," she said. "I thought it was a bit silly, the whole premise really, but he kept coming by so I . . ."

"Yeah, you started drugging him with those brownies, they're saying sugar's like cocaine now you know. But he must've gotten antsy cause he never says no to your brownies," Jubilee informed her then as a hunger after thought asked, "You got any left?"

"Sorry, we ate 'em, an' dey might've been 'Ro's best batch so far," Remy said, nodding at his cohort in brownie heisting, Rogue, with no hint of sorry in his voice.

"I just thought he'd lost track of the time. How truly stupid of me."

"Well, maybe he liked the company just not the show, sugar," Rogue suggested in a comforting tone.

"Maybe he runnin' from you, Stormy, t'inkin' you tryin' ta catch him wid yo' wiles an' dem brownies," Remy guffawed.

The girls threw the only remaining male amongst them evil looks.

Ororo, however, observed, "Perhaps he is." And she knew it was true. Her simple enjoyment of his company and her show of appreciation had scared him away.

It was funny but the first place she thought he'd go was to the garage and so she hurriedly tracked him. Funny because she saw he had indeed been there, his motorcycle pulled out from its parking space, the garage door up, but the bike just left parked in front of it as if at the last moment he'd suddenly thought to outsmart her. No goodbye, no word, just flight and not on his bike, the first thing she would check. He was running scared and covering his tracks.

She couldn't help smiling at the thought. Her fierce friend running scared. Because of her. But why? He cared for her, she knew this but was it that he cared too little, thought she cared more than she should and he didn't want to hurt her? Or was he perhaps falling for her more than he wanted? Those nights wrestling on her bed after an episode neither of them could recall had been almost tender. But she'd never let it become more than that because she knew if she did and he left her or it didn't mean as much to him as it did to her that her heart would break. She'd fallen in love over the length of that show. Had he? And if so did that terrify him as much as she was terrified of him breaking her heart?

After that she easily figured out his means of flight. She knew him well and besides, she could fly. Now as she stood watching him at a distance she wondered that he didn't know _her_ as well. Or had he just overreacted because he was so afraid of love? She would never corner him, never demand anything of him for if you truly love someone you only want them to be happy and if leaving meant Logan would be happier then she would say goodbye and let him run for however long he needed to run. And so she turned to go.

But something like a whisper in her ear, a soft murmur, all too real and vaguely familiar, made her stop.

"Running because of whatever fear he has of you, of love, of that cursed television show, will not give him happiness. Only you have the key to his happiness so use it wisely."

Ororo turned in the direction she thought the quiet voice had come from, saw it was impossible since the closest people, a couple, were standing in line waiting to buy a ticket. The woman wore a red scarf around her throat and looked at her through dark sunglasses which Ororo found odd. She noticed the man with her was shorter than the woman and wearing a hat that nearly hid his eyes. He was holding onto the woman as if she were the love of his life which somehow surprised and irritated Ororo. And for all her love of people watching she dismissed the woman with hair as white and as long as hers and then with determined resolve started for Logan letting her winds announce her arrival.

Use it wisely? She would indeed.


End file.
